Specifically, we think Android could eventually do to the iPhone platform what Windows did to the original Mac platform (relegate it to a niche "premium" market while Android becomes ubiquitous--and, therefore, more powerful).

A lot would have to go right for that to happen: Google's Android app marketplace would have to get a lot better, the many flavors of Android would have to meet a simple, single platform standard, Apple would have to continue to censor and control what apps can be used on the iPhone and iPad, and so forth.

But the explosive growth of Android thus far should make Apple fans and developers at least sit up and take notice.

Here are a couple of recent charts from AndroLib.com showing how rapidly the Android app market is growing. We're not sure where Apple is these days, but the gap is quickly closing: